Team profile

Rio 2016 Olympic Games hosts Brazil have been a dominant force in the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix and in the last 12 editions have been champions seven times and runners-up on three other occasions. Last year, they made their way to the Group 1 Final Six after an unbeaten run in the preliminary round, but only got the bronze medal as they lost to Russia and eventual winners USA in the Finals. Brazil is a volleyball-loving nation and will put its hopes in head coach Jose Roberto Guimaraes, who will be chasing an eighth Grand Prix title with the team.

Brazil won the gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and did the same at London 2012 to become the third team, after the Soviet Union and Cuba, to retain the Olympic title. The Brazilians also took Olympic bronze at Atlanta in 1996 and at Sydney 2000. They have won the South American Championship 18 times, including the last 10 times of asking. They finished third at the World Championship in Italy in 2014 having come second to Russia at the previous two editions. They also won the Grand Champions Cup in 2005 and 2013. There is always pressure on the Brazilian women but they seem to thrive under it.